Davao, GenSan prevail in Minda elims

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Davao City, Davao Del Norte and General Santos City scored in Day 3 of the Mindanao qualifying round of Batang Pinoy 2011 but the host city secured its top position in the overall standings.

Entering the final day of competition yesterday, Zamboanga City already had 46 gold, 41 silver and 30 bronze medals. Running second was Davao City ( 17-21-22), followed by Davao del Norte (13-8-4), Dipolog City (11-17-11) and Gen. Santos City (10-3-6).

With only table tennis, chess, lawn tennis and boxing still playing at press time, Zamboanga City will romp away with the overall crown of the games designed to discover athletes 15 years old and below.

Meanwhile, seven of the nine boxers from Misamis Oriental, including the two sons of two-time Olympian Roberto Jalnaiz, reached the final round in separate divisions.

In the semifinal round late Saturday, 12-year-old Rapael Jalnaiz defeated Khen John Samoranos of Panabo, 17-0, in the 38kg (mosquito weight) while 14-year-old Roberto Miguel Jalnaiz beat Keyson Galeos of Gen. Santos City, 20-6, in the 44kg (light pinweight) to reach the gold medal round.

 “They’re fresh from their win in the Philippine Open, that’s why they were ready for this tournament. It’s their desire to also join the national pool, so you can see the determination they put into their bout,” said the older Jalnaiz, MisOr boxing team coach who won the gold in the 1990 Asian Games in men’s bantamweight and saw action in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics. “I want all my (MisOr) boxers to compete in the Youth Olympic Games.”

The Batang Pinoy, organized by the Philippine Sports Commission in partnership with Smart, Maynilad and Summit Natural Drinking Water, is one of the avenues for the selection of the country’s representatives to the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

In judo, Davao City claimed 11 of 13 gold medals. The only ones that escaped Davao City’s grasp were in the girls 40kg and boys 50kg won by local bets Flordeliza Banaan and Julius Ripert Luy.

The other gold medalists in judo were Stephanie Calamba (44kg), Charisse Divine Aseneta (48kg), Alexis Belen (52 kg), Rizamae Laganze (57kg) and Sydney Tancontian (63kg) in the girls division and Chino Tancontian (42kg), James Velez (46kg), Christian Alibango (55kg), Carl Dave Aseneta (66kg) and Neil Eric Penera (90kg).